Gordon Brown and the Lib Dems - masterstroke or blunder?
Gordon Brown’s offer to Paddy Ashdown and a number of other Lib Dems of a seat in the Cabinet and some junior ministerial posts has been hailed by some as a masterstroke. But was it?
Yes, it does make Brown appear to believe in ‘big tent’ politics and appear to wish to be inclusive and to govern in a different way. (And it worked for Sarkozy across the Channel).
Yes, it did cause temporary chaos in the Lib Dem ranks and has caused them some embarrassment.
And yes, it does show Brown positioning himself for the possibility of a hung Parliament after the next election.
But there are huge downsides to Brown’s move which may make the upside pale into insignificance.
Did Brown consult colleagues on this? If he didn’t, that hardly smacks of ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘Cabinet government’.
Why did Brown approach Paddy Ashdown after he had been told by Ming Campbell that no Liberal Democrat would serve as a Minister? That hardly smacks of an open and honest relationship and a desire to work in partnership with other parties.
More importantly, what is Brown’s own side to think of this? Some of them are enjoying the Lib Dems discomfort, but others will be thinking why on earth is Brown giving ministerial jobs away to a party that Labour members and activists despise at a local level? Others will be wondering if it was their seat in the government that could have been given away.
A lot of Labour MPs will regard the offer by Brown as a political ploy designed to show him off as being magnanimous and open minded when he knew full well that the Lib Dems would have to say no. But that hardly smacks of ‘the end of spin’.
But what has not been registered much in the press at all, is that this is a gift for the Tories. It has got grammar schools and Cameron’s troubles off the front pages. And more significantly, the Tories can now say in marginal seats across the country – if you want Labour out, you can only vote Conservative as the Lib Dems are far too close to Labour.
Similarly, if Brown does need to work more closely with the Lib Dems in the event of a hung Parliament, they are hardly going to be encouraged to do so on the basis of this episode.
Has Gordon Brown made a short term political move for presentational purposes that will come back to haunt him in future?